Kansas defeated Minnesota 17-14 to take the Heart of America Conference championship. wrapping up a weekend of playoff rugby.

It was a tense weekend for KU as they scored at the death to beat Iowa State in the semis. Minnesota won comfortably over Arkansas to make the final. In the 3rd-4th game Iowa State, despite having two key starters out with concussions and running on a relatively young team, put Arkansas to the sword 51-10.

Minnesota kicked off to Kansas and looked to pin the Jayhawks back. But KU captain and flyhalf Chandler Owens, using the wind, launched a kick all the way down the field to get his team out of trouble.

Kansas took the lead 10 minutes into the game when lock Nick Hafford picked up and crashed over from short range. Owens missed the conversion but hit a penalty a few minutes later. Minnesota, playing against the wind, had a tough time getting into the Kansas 22, but also held KU in check. Owens added a penalty five minutes before halftime to make it 11-0.

Four minutes into the second half, Owens was good on another kick and his side led 14-0. But with KU lock John Koenig in the sin-bin for a high tackle, Minnesota struck, with Ben Withey going over for the try. Sean Doyle converted and it was 14-7. Owens added another penalty midway through the second half, and then it was a case of the Jawhawks holding on. The Gophers now were able to use the wind a bit better and one kick set up a chance for Ben Kane and he was over for the key try. Doyle converted to make it 17-14, but KU was able to run out the clock.

Minnesota Head Coach Sean Lindersmith praised his team, especially his backs, for handling the pressure put on by KU's kicking game, and the forwards for getting his team in position to close the gap. 

"Sean Doyle and Russ Enea are two of the best distributors, and players, I've ever coached," enthused Lindersmith. "Our forward pack put in a class performance and were incredible in getting us in the position to bring the score within three points. We're grateful for all the effort KU put into hosting an awesome event. The standard of rugby in the Hear of America is quality, and there is a tough game every week."

Owens was named the player of the tournament and certainly his kicking from the hand and from the tee was hugely influential. Both Kansas and Minnesota move on to the national DIAA playoffs in April, playing off in a playoff with the top two teams from the Lonestar Conference before moving on to a championship game with the top team from the West Coast.